I included two definitions today because this is a big conversation with many perspectives. I would like to add that I do not support or agree with the majority of what The Gospel Coalition writes, so linking to them or any other sites is not an endorsement on my part. Purity culture was created through a system of rules and shame. Some of the areas that Purity Culture tried to regulate are a strict dress code for modesty, interactions between individuals of different genders, sexual/physical interactions, and romantic relationships. Purity Culture is also homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic.
It teaches individuals that in order to be considered “good,” safe from sexual assault, and to have a happy, long-lasting relationship, your behavior has to fit inside of the boxes that Purity Culture has created. For many people, Purity Culture is upheld with really good intentions.
I followed the rules because I wanted to be good, safe, and in a happy, long-lasting, heterosexual relationship. I became disillusioned with Purity Culture when I saw how devastated my friends were when their emotionally intimate courtships destined for marriage ended. I learned that Purity Culture was not the only way to engage in relationships when people around me were not hindered with the intense shame that I and many others inside experienced. I knew that Purity Culture would not keep me safe after I was sexually assaulted despite following all of the rules.
What has your experience with Purity Culture been like? Is this a concept that you are familiar with?
